A Warning to the Priests

1And now (o ye prestes) this commaundement toucheth you: 2yf ye will not heare it, ner regarde it, to geue the glory vnto my name (sayeth the LORDE off hoostes) I wil sende a curse vpon you, & will curse youre blessinges: yee curse them will I yf ye do not take hede. 3Beholde, I shal corruppe youre sede, and cast donge in youre faces: euen the donge of youre solempne feastes and it shal cleue fast vpon you. 4And ye shall knowe, that I haue sent this commaundement vnto you: that my couenaunt which I made with Leui, might stonde, sayeth ye LORDE of hoostes. 5I made a couenaunt of life and peace wt him: this I gaue him, that he might stonde in awe of me: and so he dyd feare me, ad had my name in reuerence. 6The lawe of treuth was in his mouth, and there was no wickednesse founde in his lippes. He walked with me in peace ad equyte, and dyd turne many one awaye from their synnes. 7For the prestes lippes shulde be sure knowlege, that men maye seke the lawe at his mouth, for he is a messaunger of the LORDE of hoostes. 8But as for you, ye are gone clene out off the waye, and haue caused the multitude to be offended at the lawe: ye haue broken the couenaunt of Leui, sayeth the LORDE of hoostes. 9Therfore wil I also make you to be despised, and to be of no reputacion amonge all ye people: because ye haue not kepte my wayes, but bene parciall in the lawe.

Judah’s Unfaithfulness

10Haue we not all one father? Hath not one God made vs? why doth euery one off vs then despyse his owne brother, and so breake the couenaunt of oure fathers? 11Now hath Iuda offended: yee the abhominacion is done in Israel and in Ierusale, for Iuda hath defyled the Sactuary of the LORDE, which he loued, and hath kepte the doughter of a straunge God. 12But the LORDE shal destroye the ma that doth this (yee both the master & the scolar) out off the tabernacle of Iacob, with him that offreth vp meatofferynge vnto the LORDE off hoostes.

13Now haue ye brought it to this poynte agayne, that the aulter of the LORDE is couered with teares wepynge and mournynge: so that I will nomore regarde the meatofferynge, nether wil I receaue or accepte enythinge at youre hodes. 14And yet ye saye: wherfore? Euen because that where as the LORDE made a couenaut betwixte ye and the wife off thy youth, thou hast despysed her: Yet is she thyne owne copanyon and maried wife. 15So dyd not the one, & yet had he an excellent sprete. What dyd then the one? He sought the sede promised of God. Therfore loke well to youre sprete, & let no man despyse ye wife of his youth. 16Yf thou hatest her, put her awaye, sayeth the LORDE God of Israel and geue her a clothinge for the scorne, sayeth the LORDE of hoostes. Loke well then to youre sprete, and despyse her not.

17Ye greue the LORDE with youre wordes, and yet ye saye: wherwithall haue we greued him? In this, that ye saye: All that do euell are good in the sight of God, and soch please him. Or els where is the God that punysheth?